Updates

Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Contact with the Police Department

Thank you, Jamie Fields!

Lieutenant Fields from the Fayetteville police department called me back today. She asked me to email her my detective questions, and she'll find the right detective to answer them for me. I'm so excited! Of course, I want to meet with the detective in person, because one answer might lead to another question and so forth, but if I have to conduct it via email, that's better than nothing!

She was very respectful, wanted to know what it was for, and said she'd help out. I was nervous. Had this weird fear (is it weird?) that she'd be rude and like, "We're fighting crime. We don't have time for something like this."

You other authors out there, how have you approached things like this when you need to do research? Have you ever had someone tell you no? Was it discouraging?

Of course there's the chance that I'll never hear from Lt. Fields again. And then I'm back to square one. But that hasn't happened yet. So here I am, sitting by my phone, watching and waiting!

7 comments:

Stephanie Faris said...

YAY. I've never tried to get anyone to help me...but I've always wanted to. I've just been too shy to ask.

Mary Gray said...

Good for you, Tamara! I hope they call back real soon. :)

Mary Gray said...

Oh, and keep me posted about that Orlando trip. Are you planning on going to Disney World itself? We're staying on the resort--so aren't planning on renting a car.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Mary--we'll be driving, so we'll have a car. We are planning only one day at Disney World. It's expensive and the boys are too little for more than that. but one day would be enough to meet up w/ you!

Stephanie--I'm nervous too. I just got an email back from a detective, and he said before he answers any questions he needs to know who I am and what I want this information for (I guess he didn't get a forwarded email, just the questions). He sounded kind of suspicious! I emailed him back. My hands are all shaky now!

Karen Gowen said...

Tamara, that is amazing! I'm impressed. And I love this: "We're fighting crime. We don't have time for something like this." LOL, hilarious! I have a feeling the dialogue in your book is going to be awesome!

How do I research? Google. And I ask my husband, who knows all kinds of trivia and has a huge network of people from all walks of life to call and ask questions for me!

Anonymous said...

A couple years ago, I was writing a story about a convicted criminal being recruited by the CIA, and I emailed them asking if they would actually do that.

About two months later--after I had forgotten about it--I got a reply stating that if the convict had the skills, then yes they would.

I've been forbidden from contacting Three Letter Government Agencies anytime soon. lmao

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Mireyah--who forbade you?

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